Changeable color inserts for shoes

ABSTRACT

An athletic shoe comprising a sole, a top, a tongue and laces overlying the tongue for securing the shoe to the foot, said tongue being elongated and defining an upper portion projecting beyond the upper lacing point and connected to the main portion of the tongue by a hinge, pocket means defined in the tongue for providing means for inserting a replaceable indicia bearing card or the like.

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/241,602 filed Oct. 19, 2001.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to improvements in athletic shoes,and more specifically, to a unique tongue configuration allowing forchangeable inserts for logos and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The manufactures of athletic shoes for sports have, in recenttimes, produced very colorful and stylized designs including themanufacturer's logo on various portions of the shoe, such as the sole orthe perhaps the heel portion of the shoe.

[0004] The present invention is aimed at providing the purchaser ofshoes the ability to customize the shoe by labeling colored insert cardsthat can slide into the tongue flap of the shoe. The logo can take manyforms and in some instances when the shoes are customized for a team,the logo of the team can be inserted in the tongue flap. Other insertsare used for simply adding color contrast or matching an outfit.

[0005] The invention provides a number of possibilities for team sports.The insert can be used for example to display the name of the personwearing the shoe and in this way coaches are provided with anotherindicia for identify their players. Teams can have the entire same lookwith color selection logos.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The drawings described below show details of the changeableindicia inserts for athletic shoes in accordance with the presentinvention.

[0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an athletic shoe incorporating thesubject of this invention for identification indicia tab;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1;

[0009]FIGS. 3 and 4 are views shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, showingthe identification indicia being inserted into the tab;

[0010]FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view showing the indicia in apartially assembled position;

[0011]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of footwearhaving changeable indicia in accordance with the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 7 is a top plan view thereof;

[0013]FIGS. 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary views of the portion shownin broken lines in FIG. 7;

[0014]FIG. 10 is an enlarged top plan view showing the indicia beingassembled; and

[0015]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of athleticshow incorporating the indicia feature of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] Referring now the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-9,thereof, there is shown a first embodiment of athletic footwearincorporating indicia design in accordance with the present inventionwhich is generally designated by the numeral 10. The shoe, asillustrated, is a convention athletic shoe having a sole 12 and a top14. Lacing 16 is provided for securing the shoe to the foot. The shoealso has a tongue 20, which in the present instance is elongated todefine an upper portion 22 overlying the laces 16 which is pivoted in adownward position to show the inside of the tongue facing upwardly asshown in FIG. 1. The tongue 20 can also be pivoted upwardly to lie flatagainst the leg of the wearer for a purpose to be described hereafter.In the present instance, the upper portion 22 of the tongue has a pocket26 defined by a transparent panel 28 which, in the present instance, issecured about its periphery to the tongue 20 and has an open inner end30 through which an indicia bearing card 32 can be inserted which asillustrated may represent the logo 52 of a team. An indicia may be inother forms including identification of the owner or other information.Even though the tongue has been shown as having a transparent face onthe overlapping inner side, it may likewise be provided with atransparent panel defining a pocket on the bottom face when the tongueis worn in an upwardly pivoted position.

[0017] There is shown in FIGS. 6-10, inclusive, another embodiment offootwear having indicia means in accordance with the present invention.In the present instance, the footwear is in the nature of a slipperhaving a sole 40 and a pair of support panels 42 and 44 projectingupwardly from opposing side edges of the sole and having Velcro® means46 for securing them in an attached position over the instep of theupper arch of the user.

[0018] In the present instance, one of the panels as illustrated inFIGS. 7, 8 and 9 has a pocket opening 50 for insertion of some form ofindicia or logo. In the present instance, the upper face of the panelhas a stylized “Z” logo 52 formed by transparent panels. An indicia card54, when inserted in the pocket 50, adds color or other highlights tothe indicia form of the logo 52 presented on the panel 44.

[0019] This shoe is generally similar to the principal embodiments andaccordingly like reference numerals are applied to various elements ofthe shoe such as the sole 12 a and top 14 a and lacing 16 a. The tongue20 a of this embodiment of the invention is generally similar to thatdescribed in connection with FIGS. 1-9 embodiment in that it has atransparent panel on its outer face (not shown). In the presentinstance, the opaque interface 29 a of the tongue has a transverse slot31 a therein adjacent the separate portion need the hinge 17 a. Indiciaof the type illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 embodiment can be inserted throughthis slot and when the tongue is pivoted downwardly to overlie thelacing, the logo is displayed through the transparent upper panel. Inthe present instance, the interface of the tongue mounts a velcro strip33 a which secures to a complementary velcro strip 35 a on the tongue sothat the tongue can be secured in a overlapping position similar to thatshown in FIG. 1.

[0020] Even though particular embodiments of the present invention havebeen illustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit theinvention and changes and modifications may be made therein within thescope of the following claims.

What is claimed:
 1. An athletic shoe comprising: a sole; a top; a tongueand laces overlying the tongue for securing the shoe to the foot; saidtongue being elongated and defining an upper portion projecting beyondthe upper lacing point and connected to the main portion of the tongueby a hinge; pocket means defined in the tongue for providing means forinserting a replaceable indicia bearing card or the like.